RFID antenna

ABSTRACT

A radio-frequency identification (RFID) antenna for a vending machine includes a controller and configured to selectively provide an item stored therein to a user. The RFID antenna includes a pair of short-circuited emitters, an antenna divider disposed between said pair of short-circuited emitters, a pair of cables each comprising a pair of low signal attenuation and feed points and each connecting respective one of said pair of short-circuited emitters to said antenna divider; and a connector coupled to said antenna divider for connecting said antenna divider to the controller of the vending machine.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to RFID antennas, and more particularly tothe RFID antennas used in connection with a computer equipment for datatransfer between various of computing devices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Currently, there are many RFID antennas. One of the examples of suchsolutions is the RFID antenna, described in the solution US 2012/0004770A1. This solution envisages the vending machine, connected to the remotestation, which delivers the marked container to the user from thestorage area, where containers of the various sizes and forms withdifferent products, such as medical products, are stored. This vendingmachine includes three RFID antennas: one to check the product beforelabelling, one for the inventory of the entire machines at once, and oneto check whether the product was collected from the bunker. RFID antennainstalled in a bunker of the vending machine determines whether theproduct was taken by the user.

However, the known solution has some drawbacks. The drawbacks of theknown solution include low accuracy of determining the presence ofpassive RFID tags by an RFID antenna in case of strong electromagneticinterference from the walls of the vending machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A radio-frequency identification (RFID) antenna of the present inventionis used for a vending machine. The RFID antenna includes a controllerand configured to selectively provide an item stored therein to a user.The RFID antenna includes a pair of short-circuited emitters, an antennadivider disposed between the pair of short-circuited emitters, a pair ofcables each comprising a pair of low signal attenuation and feed pointsand each connecting respective one of the pair of short-circuitedemitters to the antenna divider. A connector is coupled to the antennadivider for connecting the antenna divider to the controller of thevending machine. The RFID antenna the connector is an SMA connector. Oneof the pair of low signal attenuation and feed points of each cable iscoupled to respective one of the pair of short-circuited emitters andanother of the pair of low signal attenuation and feed points of eachcable is coupled to the antenna divider. The RFID antenna is configuredto emit near-range electromagnetic intensity resulting in detection ofabsence or presence of the item stored in the vending machine and havinga passive RFID tag attached thereto.

At least each of the short-circuited emitters comprises a pair of copperlayers separated by a dielectric. The connector is configured totransmit high frequency current to the antenna divider, the antennadivider is configured to transmit the high frequency current to theshort-circuited emitters. The copper layers of each of theshort-circuited emitters, in response to the high frequency current,create potential difference between one another thereby generatingelectromagnetic radiation. The copper layers of each of theshort-circuited emitters are configured to create circular polarizationallowing electromagnetic waves generated by each of the short-circuitedemitters to radiate along a helical arc.

The short-circuited emitters are configured to modulate a near-rangeelectromagnetic field extending at least along an entire length of theRFID antenna and having a predetermined radiation direction pattern. Theitem stored in the vending machine includes a passive RFID tag, whereinthe passive RFID tag is configured, in response to the electromagneticfield modulated by the short-circuited emitters, to modulate ahigh-frequency field or generate vibrations in return. The RFID antenna,in response to the high-frequency field modulated by the passive RFIDtag of the item stored in the vending machine, is configured to switchto a reading or receiving mode and transmit, via the connector, thevibrations modulated by the passive RFID tag to the controller of thevending machine.

The RFID antenna is activated to detect absence or presence of the itemstored in the vending machine only when a door of the vending machine islocked, wherein the controller is configured, in response to the doorbeing locked, to prompt the RFID antenna to scan for presence or absenceof the passive RFID tag. The RFID antenna is configured, in response tonot detecting the item in the vending machine, to transmit acorresponding signal to the controller. The RFID antenna is fixedhorizontally and parallel to a shelf supporting the item in the vendingmachine.

An advantage of the present invention is to provide a radio-frequencyidentification (RFID) antenna of the present invention used for avending machine to increase of the accuracy of determining the presenceof passive RFID tags by the RFID antenna in case of strongelectromagnetic interference.

Another advantage of the present invention is to provide the RFIDantenna to achieve this technological result, which provides thepossibility to the transfer of data between at least one passive RFIDtag and the external device controller, and which contains twoshort-circuited emitters with feed points, by which the mentionedemitters are connected with the potential divider via the cables withlow signal attenuation,

Still another advantage of the present invention is to provide the RFIDantenna where the divider contains a SMA connector and provides thepossibility of connection via this SMA connector to the mentionedcontroller; at the same time the RFID antenna ensures electromagneticintensity of the preset range for the detection of presence or absenceof passive RFID tags near the RFID antenna.

Obviously, both the above general description and the following detaileddescription are only given as an example and an explanation and are notthe limitations of this utility model.

The objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readilyapparent from inspection of the following specification, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, wherein like numerals refer tolike parts throughout and in which an embodiment of the presentinvention is described and illustrated.

The exact manner in which the foregoing and other objects and advantagesof the invention are achieved in practice will become more clearlyapparent when reference is made to the following detailed description ofthe preferred embodiments of the invention described in detail in thefollowing specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, where inlike reference numbers indicate corresponding parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated asthe same becomes better understood by reference to the followingdetailed description when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a data transfer system between aserver, a remote vending machine and a user's computing device.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the vending machine configured toestablish a two-way communication with a remote server, reading datafrom RFID antennas and providing product to the users.

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of an RFID vending machine RFID

FIGS. 4A to 4B are schematic illustrations of dividers of the RFIDantenna.

FIGS. 5A to 5B are schematic illustrations of emitters of the RFIDantenna.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the FIGS. 1 through 3 , a vending machine system (thesystem) is generally shown at 100 in FIG. 1 . Because explicitidentification of object-oriented constructs expressed through thesyntax of high-level object-oriented programming languages is lostduring compilation to binary code (e.g., translation of a source codedefinition or representation of an application to a binary codedefinition or representation of the application such as a machine codeor byte-code definition), potential security vulnerabilities can beobscured during static analysis of the resulting binary code.

For example, because information about an object (e.g., the class onwhich the object is based, the size of the object, the number and typesor sizes of properties of the object, and the number of functionalitiesaccessible to the object via a dispatch table) is typically notexpressed in binary code, determining whether indirect operationsrelative to the object expose security vulnerabilities can be difficultwithout the source code from which the binary code was generated.

As a specific example, an indirect operation can result in arbitrarycode execution security vulnerabilities if the binary code does notinclude run-time validation to ensure that the indirect operation doesnot operate outside or beyond the object (i.e., at memory addresses notallocated to or shared by the object). Some binary code representationsof applications, however, do include information about objects. Suchinformation can be included in binary code as run-time type information(RTTI) or debugging information that is compiled into the binary code.Nevertheless, because the binary code representations of manyapplications do not include such information (e.g., to discouragereverse engineering of these applications), robust methodologies andsystems for analyzing binary code based on (or derived from) source codeusing object-oriented techniques should not assume availability of suchinformation.

Implementations discussed herein analyze operations described in binarycode to identify objects based on those operations. Said differently,implementations discussed herein reconstruct, at least partially,objects (or representations of objects) by inferring the structure ofsuch objects based on operations described in binary code. Thus,implementations discussed herein can identify objects and attributessuch as a size thereof without referring to (or independent of) sourcecode or explicit information about such objects which may or may not beincluded in the binary code.

Furthermore, implementations discussed herein perform securityvulnerability analyses of binary code representations of applicationsusing such objects. For example, implementations discussed herein canidentify security vulnerabilities such as type confusion vulnerabilitiesthat can result in arbitrary code execution, code injection, applicationfailure, or other undesirable or unintended behavior of an applicationusing information about objects identified by analysis of operationsdescribed in binary code.

Accordingly, implementations discussed herein with reference to analysisof operations described in binary code should be understood to refer toanalysis of those operations using a binary code representation of asoftware module or a representation of the software module derived fromthe binary code representation.

A variable within a memory is a memory location at which one or morevalues can be stored. Such a memory location can be at a processormemory (e.g., a register or cache), at a system memory (e.g., a RandomAccess Memory (RAM) of a computing system), or at some other memory.Operations within binary code that operate on such variables can referto a memory address (either absolute or relative to another memoryaddress such as an offset from a stack pointer) of that memory location.Thus, the identifier (e.g., memory address) of an object can be storedas a value at a memory location with a memory address that is used byoperations within the binary code.

Accordingly, as used herein, terms such as “identifier of an object” and“memory address of an object” should be understood to refer to theidentifier (e.g., memory address) itself or to a variable at which avalue representing the identifier is stored. As used herein, the term“module” refers to a combination of hardware (e.g., a processor such asan integrated circuit or other circuitry) and software (e.g., machine-or processor-executable instructions, commands, or code such asfirmware, programming, or object code).

A combination of hardware and software includes hardware only (i.e., ahardware element with no software elements), software hosted at hardware(e.g., software that is stored at a memory and executed or interpretedat a processor), or at hardware and software hosted at hardware.

Additionally, as used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the”include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.Thus, for example, the term “module” is intended to mean one or moremodules or a combination of modules. Furthermore, as used herein, theterm “based on” includes based at least in part on. Thus, a feature thatis described as based on some cause, can be based only on that cause, orbased on that cause and on one or more other causes.

It will be apparent that multiple embodiments of this disclosure may bepracticed without some or all of these specific details. In otherinstances, well-known process operations have not been described indetail in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present embodiments.The following description of embodiments includes references to theaccompanying drawing. The drawing shows illustrations in accordance withexample embodiments. These example embodiments, which are also referredto herein as “examples,” are described in enough detail to enable thoseskilled in the art to practice the present subject matter. Theembodiments can be combined, other embodiments can be utilized, orstructural, logical and operational changes can be made withoutdeparting from the scope of what is claimed. The following detaileddescription is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and thescope is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Alluding to the above, for purposes of this patent document, the terms“or” and “and” shall mean “and/or” unless stated otherwise or clearlyintended otherwise by the context of their use. The term “a” shall mean“one or more” unless stated otherwise or where the use of “one or more”is clearly inappropriate. The terms “comprise,” “comprising,” “include,”and “including” are interchangeable and not intended to be limiting. Forexample, the term “including” shall be interpreted to mean “including,but not limited to.”

Referring to FIG. 1 , the system 100 for the data transfer between aserver, a remote vending machine and a user's computing device. Thesystem 100 consists of an inventory accounting and transactions server101, a remote transaction server 102, a remote vending machine 103 and auser's computing device 108, where the server 101, the remote server102, the remote vending machine 103 and the user's computing device 108are connected between each other using data transfer network 109. A datatransfer network 109 is one of the networks: Internet, Wi-Fi, GPRS, 3G,4G, 5G, WiMax, LTE or LTE-A based network, TCP/IP network. An inventoryaccounting and transactions server 101 is connected to the operator'sdisplay 110 and provides the possibility of communication using the datatransfer network 109 with at least one remote transaction server 102, atleast one remote vending machine 103, and at least one user's computingdevice 108. The inventory accounting server 101 contains an AI unit forthe automatic analysis of the data on the inventory for further displayat the operator's screen 109, where the data analysis shall mean theforecast of the future inventories in the remote vending machine 103taking into account the data, received from the remote vending machine103, at the same time the accounting server 101 provides the possibilityof making transactions with the remote transaction server 102 inresponse to the data, received from at least one remote vending machine103 after the door of the vending machine 103 was closed.

Alluding to the above, the additional AI unit sends to the operator'sdisplay the information about expiration date of the product, placed inthe vending machine. The remote transaction server 102 provides thepossibility to ensure transaction between the user's computing device108 and the accounting server 101. The remote server 102 works asfollows. In response to the data received by the server 101 from theremote vending machine 103, the server 101 transmits the data on thetransaction to the server 102. The server 102, in response to thereceived data, makes a transaction between the user's computing device108 and the accounting server 101 in accordance with the received data.The remote vending machine 103 provides the possibility of communicationusing the data transfer network 109 and the communication device 106with the accounting server 101 and provides the possibility of givingproduct to the user. The remote vending machine 103 contains thecontroller 104, the memory 105, the communication device 106 and theRFID antenna 107. The controller 104 is connected using the datatransfer bus with the memory 105, the communication device 106 and theRFID antenna 107. A more detailed description of the remote vendingmachine 103 construction will be given with reference to FIG. 2 to bedescribed below.

The vending machine 103 is connected to the user's computing device 108via the communication device 106. The user's computing device 108provides the possibility for the transfer and receipt of data with theaccounting server 101, at the same time the user's computing device 108contains an authorization module, which provides the possibility of userauthorization. In case of the failed authorization the userauthorization module displays an error on the computing device 108screen. In case of successful authorization it performs the following:transfer of commands to the vending machine 103 and the controller 104using the data transfer network 109 and the accounting server 101, wherethe commands initiate the controller 104 to open the lock 113 of thevending machine door, reception of data from the vending machine 103 andthe controller 104 via the data transfer network 109 and the accountingserver 101 after the vending machine 103 door closes, and provides forthe transaction to be made between the accounting server 101 and theremote transaction server 102 according to the data, received from thevending machine 103 and the controller 104.

The user's computing device 108 can be at least one of the following:tablet, smartphone, laptop, PC, and any other computing device,containing at least one processor and memory. Besides, the authorizationmodule can provide the possibility to display on the user's computingdevice 108 screen the information about the composition of the product,its price and information about the fiscal receipt according to theproduct, the RFID antenna 107 of which was triggered when the productwas taken from the vending machine 103.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the vending machine 103 is described. Thecontroller 104 provides the possibility to read the data from RFIDantennas 107 and includes connection sockets, using the data transferbus, for the lighting modules 112 of the vending machine, locks 113 ofthe vending machine, temperature 114 and humidity 115 gauges of thevending machine, and power sockets for power supply from anuninterruptible power supply 116 and power supply network 117. The abovesockets are used to provide control of lighting and locks of the vendingmachine 103, temperature and humidity inside the vending machine 103.Besides, the controller 104 can contain a discrete SIM-card used toconnect to the data transfer network, which is a part of the mobileInternet network.

Alluding to the above, the lighting modules 112 of the vending machine103 illuminate the internal space of the vending machine 103, and also,if necessary, the external space near the vending machine 103. The locks113 of the vending machine lock and unlock the door of the vendingmachine 103. At the same time the mentioned locking or unlocking arecarried out in response to control signals from the controller 104. Thetemperature 114 and humidity 115 gauges ensure detection of the currenttemperature and humidity of the internal space.

The controller 104 registers the data received from the above gaugesand, in case of deviation of humidity or temperature from the setlimits, uses the internal devices to regulate the humidity and thetemperature in its internal space. The vending device 103 also containsthe uninterruptible power supply 116, connected to the correspondinginput of the controller 104. The controller 104 is powered using thepower supply network 117. However, in case of power interruption thenetwork 117 automatically switches to the uninterruptible power supply116. The vending machine can additionally include a display, controlledby the controller 104. The display provides the possibility to outputvideo content.

Referring to FIG. 3 , a structure of the RFID antennas 107 and theoperation of RFID antennas 107 and the passive RFID tags 111 isdescribed. The passive RFID tags 111 are attached to each separateproduct, located inside the vending machine 103. The RFID antennas 107determine the presence or absence of the passive RFID tags 111 of eachproduct, placed in the remote vending machine 103. The RFID antennas 107also ensure reception and transfer of data to the controller 104 and theremote server 101 using the communication device 106. These data provideinformation about the product moved from the interior of the vendingmachine 103 after closing the door of the vending machine 103. Each RFIDantenna 107 consists of two short-circuited emitters 201, connectedbetween themselves with a divider 203 using cables 204 with low signalattenuation and feed points 202. The divider 203 is connected to thecontroller 104 of the vending machine 103 via a SMA socket 205.

As best shown in FIGS. 4A through 5B, the SMA socket 205 transmits thehigh frequency (860-920 MHz) current to the antenna divider 203 andsubsequently the divider 203 transmits the current to the emitters 201.The antenna divider 203, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B and the emitters201, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B are two copper layers with thickness 35nm (A and C), separated by a dielectric (B). The drawing and dimensionsof upper copper layer (A) and the thickness of dielectric (B) arecalculated to achieve the antenna characteristics. When the current isapplied, the potential difference between the copper layers generateselectromagnetic radiation: the drawing (pattern) of upper layer (A)generates right radiation direction and stability and the lower layer(C) is used to gain and reflect.

Two short-circuited emitters 201 modulate a stable electromagneticintensity within near (preset) range up to 20 cm along the entire lengthof the antenna (490 mm) and a predetermined radiation direction pattern,taking into account the displacement caused by the surrounding metalwalls of the vending machine 103. Diagram of direction ±30 cm from thecenter lengthwise and ±20 cm from the center widthwise 20 cm away fromthe front side of the antenna reaching the gain of the antenna −1.25 dbiat SWR<1.04 is only possible if the antenna is surrounded by metal wallsat the distance of 20 to 60 cm. Due to the pattern of the upper copperlayer 201 (FIG. 5 , A) of the emitter, the circular polarization isachieved, due to which the electromagnetic waves are radiated along thehelical arc, which allows to use any RFID tags 111 located within theRFID antenna 107 range.

Each RFID antenna 107 provides the electromagnetic intensity in the nearrange, where the mentioned intensity results in the possibility todetect the presence or absence of the passive RFID tags 111 near eachRFID antenna 107. It should be noted that in this case, any otherexternal device controller can be used as the controller 104 of thevending machine 103. PC, laptop, server, etc. can be used as an externaldevice. The SMA socket 205 transmits the high frequency (860-920 MHz)current to the antenna divider 203 and subsequently the divider 203transmits the current to the emitters 201. The antenna divider 203 andthe emitters are two copper layers with thickness 35 nm, separated by adielectric. When the current is applied, the potential differencebetween the copper layers generates electromagnetic radiation. Twoshort-circuited emitters 201 modulate a stable electromagnetic intensitywithin near range up to 20 cm along the entire length of the antenna(490 mm) and a predetermined radiation direction pattern, taking intoaccount the displacement caused by the surrounding metal walls of thevending machine 103. Diagram of direction ±30 cm from the centerlengthwise and ±20 cm from the center widthwise 20 cm away from thefront side of the antenna reaching the gain of the antenna −1.25 dbi atSWR<1.04 is only possible if the antenna is surrounded by metal walls atthe distance of 20 to 60 cm.

Due to the pattern of the upper copper layer 201 of the emitter, thecircular polarization is achieved, due to which the electromagneticwaves are radiated along the helical arc, which allows to use any RFIDtags 111 located within the RFID antenna 107 range. Within theelectromagnetic intensity field radiated by the RFID antenna 107, thepassive RFID tags 111 start to modulate the high-frequency field inresponse. At this point the RFID antenna 107 switches to reading modeand transmits all vibrations of the electromagnetic radiation from thetags 111 to the SMA connector 205 via the high frequency cable to thecontroller 104. The RFID antenna 107 itself is fixed horizontally andparallel to the shelves of the vending machine 103, where the productswith passive RFID tags 111 are placed.

The data is read from the RFID antennas 107 when the door of the vendingmachine 103 is closed. Below we provide an example of the implementationof the solution. The user performs authorization (authentication) usingthe user's computing device 108 and an authorization module. If theauthorization is failed, the authorization module displays an errormessage on the display of the device 108, and an offer to repeat theauthorization process. In case of successful authorization, theauthentication module sends a command to the controller 104 of thevending machine 103 via the data transfer network 109 and the accountingserver 101, where the commands initiate the controller 104 to open thelock 113 of the vending machine 103 door. After the door opens, the userhas the right to choose and take any product placed on the vendingmachine 103 shelves. When the product is selected and taken from theshelves of the vending machine, the door of the vending machine 103closes. The fact of door closing is the moment when the controller 104starts polling the RFID antennas 107.

Each RFID antenna 107 scans the passive RFID tags 111. If the scan bythe mentioned RFID antenna (s) 107 discovers the absence of any of theRFID tags 111, a corresponding signal is transmitted by the RFID antenna107 to the controller 104. The controller 104 receives the signalcontaining the data of the RFID tag 111 which has not been identified bythe RFID antenna 107 after closing the vending machine 103 door. Thecontroller 104 compares these data with the data stored in the memory105. If in the result of the above-mentioned comparison, it isdetermined that the data were detected and transmitted to the server 101at the previous door opening, the controller 104 stops further dataprocessing. If in the result of the above mentioned comparison, it isdetermined that the data were not detected and transmitted to the server101 at the previous door opening, the controller 104 stores thisinformation in the memory 105 for subsequent comparisons, and at thesame time transmits the data to the accounting server 101.

In accordance with data transmitted by the controller 104, theaccounting server 101 saves this information in at least one database,which contains data on the inventory of the remote vending machine 103.At the same time the AI unit of the server 101 performs an automaticanalysis of the data on the inventory for further output to theoperator's display 110. After saving, the server 101 connects to thetransaction server 102, and upon establishing the connection sends arequest for the transaction in accordance with the data received fromthe controller 104 of the vending machine 103. After receiving thementioned request, the transaction server 102 makes a transactionbetween the user's computing device 108 and the accounting server 101 inaccordance with the received data. Although this invention was shown anddescribed with reference to some options in its implementation, thespecialists in this sphere of technology will understand that variouschanges and modifications can be made in it, without leaving the actualscope of the invention.

In another aspect of the present invention the vending machine system(the system) 100 of the present invention is used to selectivelyproviding one or more items stored therein to the user, the vendingmachine includes the radio-frequency identification (RFID) antenna 107,the communication module 106, the memory 105, and the controller,wherein the controller is communicatively coupled by the data transferbus with the memory, the communication module 106 and the RFID antenna107. The system 100 includes the user computing device 108, theaccounting server 101 configured to perform inventory accounting for theone or more items in the vending machine.

The system 100 also includes the transaction server 102 configured tofacilitate a transaction between the accounting server 101 and the usercomputing device 108, and a data transfer network, wherein theaccounting and transaction servers 101, the vending machine and the usercomputing device 108 are communicatively interconnected with one anotherby the data transfer network. The accounting server 101 comprises anartificial intelligence (AI) module configured to conduct an automatedinventory analysis of the vending machine, and wherein the accountingserver 101 is communicatively coupled with a display for displaying theinventory analysis.

The inventory analysis includes a forecast of future inventoriesrequired for the vending machine and an expiration date of the one ormore items stored in the vending machine, and wherein the inventoryanalysis is based on data received from the vending machine. Theaccounting server 101 is configured to conduct a transaction with thetransaction server 102 in response to transaction data received from thevending machine after one or more doors of the vending machine arelocked. The transaction server 102 is configured, in response totransaction data received via the accounting server 101 from the vendingmachine, to conduct the transaction between the user computing device108 and the accounting server 101 based on the transaction data.

The user computing device 108 comprises an authorization moduleconfigured to provide an authorization or authentication of the user,and wherein the user computing device 108 is configured to cause atransfer and receipt of data with the accounting server 101. In responseto the user being authorized, the authorization module is configured to(a) transmit a command to the controller of the vending machine toinitiate the controller to unlock the door of the vending machine, (b)receive data from the controller of the vending machine after the doorof the vending machine is locked, and (c) initiate a transaction betweenthe accounting server 101 and the transaction server 102 based on datareceived from the controller of the vending machine.

The authorization module is configured to prompt the screen of the usercomputing device 108 to display information about the one or more itemsprovided by the vending machine. The vending machine further comprisesthe lighting module 112, one or more locking mechanisms 113, thetemperature gauge 114 and the humidity gauge 115, and wherein thecontroller of the vending machine is communicatively connected with andconfigured to control the lighting module 112, the one or more lockingmechanisms 113, the temperature gauge 114 and the humidity gauge 115.The lighting module 112 is configured to illuminate the internal chamberof the vending machine, wherein the one or more locking mechanisms 113are configured to lock and unlock the door of the vending machine, andwherein the temperature 114 and humidity 115 gauges are configured todetect respective temperature and humidity of the internal chamber ofthe vending machine.

The vending machine further comprises a display 110 controlled by thecontroller of the vending machine, and wherein the display 110 isconfigured to output video content. Each of the one or more items storedin the vending machine comprises the passive RFID tag 111 attachedthereto, and wherein the RFID antenna 107 of the vending machine isconfigured to determine presence or absence of the passive RFID tag 111of each of the one or more items.

The RFID antenna 107 is fixed horizontally and parallel to one or moreshelves of the vending machine that support the one or more items withthe passive RFID tag 111 attached thereto. The RFID antenna 107 isconfigured to communicate data related to the presence or absence of theone or more items in the vending machine to the controller, and whereinthe controller is configured to transmit the data, via the communicationmodule 106, to the accounting server 101.

The data related to the presence or absence of the one or more items inthe vending machine is received by the controller from the RFID antenna107 of the vending machine in response to a prompt sent by thecontroller when the door of the vending machine is locked. The RFIDantenna 107 of the vending machine comprises the antenna divider 203,the pair of short-circuited emitters 201, the pair of cables 204 eachconnecting respective one of the short-circuited emitters 201 to theantenna divider 203, and the SMA connector 205 communicatively couplingthe antenna divider 203 to the controller of the vending machine.

The memory of the vending machine is configured to record and storeinformation about the one or more items stored in the vending machine,wherein the information is transmitted by the controller to theaccounting server 101, and wherein the accounting server 101 stores theinformation in the database that contains inventory data of the vendingmachine.

The technical result in this case is the improved accuracy ofregistration of the product withdrawal from the internal space of thevending machine using the RFID antennas 107 and the passive RFID tags111 in the vending machine. To reach this technical result the vendingmachine is offered, which provides the possibility to establish atwo-way communication with the remote server 102, reading data from theRFID antennas 107 and providing products to the users. This machineincludes the controller providing the possibility to read data from theRFID antennas 107 and containing the connectors for vending machinelighting modules, the vending machine locks 113, the vending machinetemperature 114 and humidity 115 gauges.

The power socket supplies power from the uninterruptible power supplyand power supply network, where the mentioned connectors are used tocontrol the lighting and the locks 113 of the vending machine,temperature and humidity inside the vending machine, and at the sametime the data is read from the RFID antennas 107 when the vendingmachine door closes; the memory 105, connected to the controller, tosave the data read from the RFID antennas 107 and received from the dataaccounting server 101. The communication device 106 transfers data readfrom the RFID antennas 107, to the remote server 102 and reception ofthe data processed by the mentioned server; the RFID antennas 107 todetermine the presence or absence of the passive RFID tags 111 of eachproduct placed in the remote vending machine, and ensuring data transferto and from the controller and the remote server 102 using thecommunication device 106, where the data present information about theproduct moved from the internal space of the vending machine after thevending machine door was closed, at the same time each RFID antenna 107consists of two short-circuited emitters 201 with feed points, connectedbetween themselves with a divider using cables with low signalattenuation.

Alluding to the above, the divider 203 is connected to the vendingmachine controller via the SMA socket 205 and each RFID antenna 107provides the electromagnetic intensity in the near range, where thementioned intensity results in the possibility to detect the presence orabsence of the passive RFID tags 111 near each RFID antenna 107, whereeach passive RFID tag 111 is attached to each product.

In still another aspect of the present invention the RFID antenna 107includes the controller 104 and configured to selectively provide anitem stored therein to the user. The RFID antenna 107 includes a pair ofshort-circuited emitters 201, the antenna divider 203 disposed betweenthe pair of short-circuited emitters 201, the pair of cables 204 eachcomprising the pair of low signal attenuation and feed points 202 andeach connecting respective one of the pair of short-circuited emitters201 to the antenna divider 203.

The connector 205 is coupled to the antenna divider 203 for connectingthe antenna divider 203 to the controller of the vending machine. Theconnector 205 is an SMA connector or socket. One of the pair of lowsignal attenuation and feed points 202 of each cable is coupled torespective one of the pair of short-circuited emitters 201 and anotherof the pair of low signal attenuation and feed points 202 of each cableis coupled to the antenna divider 203. The RFID antenna 107 isconfigured to emit near-range electromagnetic intensity resulting indetection of absence or presence of the item stored in the vendingmachine and having the passive RFID tag 111 attached thereto.

At least each of the short-circuited emitters 201 comprises a pair ofcopper layers separated by a dielectric. The connector 205 is configuredto transmit high frequency current to the antenna divider 203, theantenna divider 203 is configured to transmit the high frequency currentto the short-circuited emitters 201. The copper layers of each of theshort-circuited emitters 201, in response to the high frequency current,create potential difference between one another thereby generatingelectromagnetic radiation. The copper layers A and C of each of theshort-circuited emitters 201 are configured to create circularpolarization allowing electromagnetic waves generated by each of theshort-circuited emitters 201 to radiate along a helical arc.

The short-circuited emitters 201 are configured to modulate a near-rangeelectromagnetic field extending at least along an entire length of theRFID antenna 107 and having a predetermined radiation direction pattern.The item stored in the vending machine includes the passive RFID tag111, wherein the passive RFID tag 111 is configured, in response to theelectromagnetic field modulated by the short-circuited emitters, tomodulate a high-frequency field or generate vibrations in return.

The RFID antenna 107, in response to the high-frequency field modulatedby the passive RFID tag 111 of the item stored in the vending machine,is configured to switch to a reading or receiving mode and transmit, viathe connector 205, the vibrations modulated by the passive RFID tag 111to the controller of the vending machine.

The RFID antenna 107 is activated to detect absence or presence of theitem stored in the vending machine only when the door of the vendingmachine is locked, wherein the controller 101 is configured, in responseto the door being locked, to prompt the RFID antenna 107 to scan forpresence or absence of the passive RFID tag 111. The RFID antenna 107 isconfigured, in response to not detecting the item in the vendingmachine, to transmit the corresponding signal to the controller 101. TheRFID antenna 107 is fixed horizontally and parallel to the shelfsupporting the item in the vending machine.

While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplaryembodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art thatvarious changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted forelements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. Inaddition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situationor material to the teachings of the invention without departing from theessential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the inventionnot be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best modecontemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the inventionwill include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appendedclaims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A radio-frequency identification (RFID)antenna for a vending machine having a controller and configured toselectively provide an item stored therein to a user, said RFID antennacomprising: a pair of short-circuited emitters each comprising a pair ofcopper layers separated by a dielectric layer, wherein said pair ofcopper layers have an identical thickness, and wherein one of the pairof short-circuited emitters is configured to generate radiation andanother one of the pair of short-circuited emitters is configured togain and reflect the radiation; an antenna divider disposed between saidpair of short-circuited emitters and comprising two copper layers and adielectric layer therebetween; a pair of cables each having a pair ofopposite ends, wherein each end comprises a low signal attenuation andfeed point, and wherein each cable connects respective one of said pairof short-circuited emitters to said antenna divider; and a SMA connectorcoupled to the controller of the vending machine; wherein said SMAconnector is configured to transmit high frequency current to saidantenna divider, wherein said antenna divider is configured to transmitthe high frequency current received from said SMA connector to each ofsaid pair of short-circuit emitters; and wherein said SMA connector ispositioned between the controller of the vending machine and saidantenna divider.
 2. The RFID antenna of claim 1, wherein said two copperlayers of said antenna divider have an identical thickness, and whereinat least one of said two copper layers and said dielectric layer areidentically shaped.
 3. The RFID antenna of claim 1, wherein one of saidpair of low signal attenuation and feed points of each cable is coupledto respective one of said pair of short-circuited emitters and anotherof said pair of low signal attenuation and feed points of each cable iscoupled to said antenna divider.
 4. The RFID antenna of claim 1, whereinsaid RFID antenna is configured to emit near-range electromagneticintensity resulting in detection of absence or presence of the itemstored in the vending machine and having a passive RFID tag attachedthereto.
 5. The RFID antenna of claim 1, wherein at least one of saidpair of copper layers and said dielectric layer of each short-circuitedemitter are identically shaped.
 6. The RFID antenna of claim 1, whereinsaid SMA connector is configured to transmit high frequency current tosaid antenna divider, said antenna divider is configured to transmit thehigh frequency current to said short-circuited emitters.
 7. The RFIDantenna of claim 6, wherein said copper layers of each of saidshort-circuited emitters, in response to the high frequency current,create potential difference between one another thereby generatingelectromagnetic radiation.
 8. The RFID antenna of claim 7, wherein saidcopper layers of each of said short-circuited emitters are configured tocreate circular polarization allowing electromagnetic waves generated byeach of said short-circuited emitters to radiate along a helical arc. 9.The RFID antenna of claim 1, wherein said short-circuited emitters areconfigured to modulate a near-range electromagnetic field extending atleast along an entire length of said RFID antenna and having apredetermined radiation direction pattern.
 10. The RFID antenna of claim9, wherein the item stored in the vending machine includes a passiveRFID tag, wherein the passive RFID tag is configured, in response to theelectromagnetic field modulated by said short-circuited emitters, tomodulate a high-frequency field or generate vibrations in return. 11.The RFID antenna of claim 10, wherein said RFID antenna, in response tothe high-frequency field modulated by the passive RFID tag of the itemstored in the vending machine, is configured to switch to a reading orreceiving mode and transmit, via said SMA connector, the vibrationsmodulated by the passive RFID tag to the controller of the vendingmachine.
 12. The RFID antenna of claim 11, wherein said RFID antenna isactivated to detect absence or presence of the item stored in thevending machine only when a door of the vending machine is locked,wherein the controller is configured, in response to the door beinglocked, to prompt said RFID antenna to scan for presence or absence ofthe passive RFID tag.
 13. The RFID antenna of claim 12, wherein saidRFID antenna is configured, in response to not detecting the item in thevending machine, to transmit a corresponding signal to the controller.14. The RFID antenna of claim 1, wherein said RFID antenna is fixedhorizontally and parallel to a shelf supporting the item in the vendingmachine.
 15. A radio-frequency identification (RFID) antenna for avending machine having a controller and configured to selectivelyprovide an item stored therein to a user, said RFID antenna comprising:a pair of short-circuited emitters, each of said short-circuitedemitters comprising a pair of copper layers separated by a dielectriclayer, wherein said pair of copper layers of each of said pair ofshort-circuited emitters have an identical thickness, and wherein atleast one of said pair of copper layers and said dielectric layer ofeach short-circuited emitter are identically shaped; an antenna dividerdisposed between said pair of short-circuited emitters and comprisingtwo copper layers and a dielectric layer therebetween; a pair of cableseach comprising a pair of low signal attenuation and feed points andeach connecting respective one of said pair of short-circuited emittersto said antenna divider, wherein one of said pair of low signalattenuation and feed points of each cable is coupled to respective oneof said pair of short-circuited emitters and another of said pair of lowsignal attenuation and feed points of each cable is coupled to saidantenna divider; and a SMA connector that is connected to the controllerof the vending machine; wherein said SMA connector is configured totransmit high frequency current to said antenna divider; and whereinsaid antenna divider is configured to transmit the high frequencycurrent received from said SMA connector to each of said pair ofshort-circuit emitters.
 16. The RFID antenna of claim 15, wherein saidSMA connector is configured to transmit high frequency current to saidantenna divider, said antenna divider is configured to transmit the highfrequency current to said short-circuited emitters.
 17. The RFID antennaof claim 16, wherein said copper layers of each of said short-circuitedemitters, in response to the high frequency current, create potentialdifference between one another thereby generating electromagneticradiation.
 18. The RFID antenna of claim 17, wherein said copper layersof each of said short-circuited emitters are configured to createcircular polarization allowing electromagnetic waves generated by eachof said short-circuited emitters to radiate along a helical arc.
 19. TheRFID antenna of claim 18, wherein the item stored in the vending machineincludes a passive RFID tag, wherein the passive RFID tag is configured,in response to the electromagnetic field modulated by saidshort-circuited emitters, to modulate a high-frequency field or generatevibrations in return.
 20. The RFID antenna of claim 19, wherein saidRFID antenna, in response to the high-frequency field modulated by thepassive RFID tag of the item stored in the vending machine, isconfigured to switch to a reading or receiving mode and transmit, viasaid connector, the vibrations modulated by the passive RFID tag to thecontroller of the vending machine.